Renardite is a rare secondary uranium phosphate mineral typically found as bright yellow coatings or small platy crystals. It is highly radioactive and primarily sought after by advanced collectors of uranium-bearing minerals for its aesthetic crystal habits.
Is this renardite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch renardite with a known reference. Renardite sits at Mohs 2-3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: pearly.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: druse.
Often confused with
Renardite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Renardite leaves yellow, Autunite leaves pale yellow; luster reads pearly on Renardite and vitreous, pearly on {001} on Autunite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Renardite leaves yellow, Parsonsite leaves white; luster reads pearly on Renardite and subadamantine to slightly greasy on Parsonsite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Renardite leaves yellow, Torbernite leaves pale green; luster reads pearly on Renardite and vitreous, subadamantine, waxy, pearly on cleavages; becoming dull on dehydration to metatorbernite on Torbernite.
Often found alongside renardite
Minerals reported to co-occur with renardite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb(UO₂)₄(PO₄)₂(OH)₄·7H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 4.34 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Druse
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {100}
- Fluorescence
- Bright yellow-green under UV
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- oxidized zones of uranium deposits
Where rockhounds find renardite
Classic worldwide localities
- Kaslo mine, Shinkolobwe, Shaba, Katanga, Zaire (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: oxidized zones of uranium deposits. If you start seeing torbernite, autunite, uraninite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: druse. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify renardite?+
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Find renardite on the map
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